Don't bet against the old tough guy with all the chips stacked against him.

Sunset succeeds. It takes themes and characterizations that we've seen before and makes them fresh.

The story starts at the end. A former mob enforcer, Nick, lives the quiet life in the sunset of his years. Yet, the boss he screwed over is out of prison and more powerful than ever. When he comes after Nick, the fireworks begin.

I was ready to dismiss this book as a rehash, yet writer Christos Gage grabbed me early on. In fact, I read this graphic novel in the span of one day because I wanted more.

I'm not usually a fan of strict photorealism in comics, but there was a lot to like about the artwork of Jorge Lucas. Instead of feeling stiff or photoshopped, the characters were engaging and alive. So often this style can come across as stiff and lifeless. That's what happens when there is mere tracing or manipulation. Instead, Lucas complimented the script with the main character in each panel. Occasionally, a supporting character will come across as a translated photograph, but the focal point of action continually showed a spark of life. It makes for an interesting mix of photorealistic backgrounds and active motion.

I read the first chapter of this book in color, having been printed in the Top Cow First Look trade paperback. I was not sure how well this would come across in black and white. Minotaur Press made the right decision. The lack of colors really support the gritty nature of the characters. Even with the harsh blacks that result, the book may have been dragged down by colors that would either smooth things out or make them too shadowy. Instead, the harsh world comes through.

If you want a nice, complete break in your regular reading, slip in Sunset. It's a book that you'll read again someday.